Our Friend's Spartan Race to Help Forester!

An old friend of ours is training to run two back-to-back Spartan Races this summer as a fundraiser for our son Forester who was recently diagnosed with Fragile-X Syndrome. We're so incredibly touched and grateful to everyone who contributes. Here's his message:

There's a five year-old boy named Forester with special needs and I'm going to do everything in my power to help him. Forester's parents are dear old friends of mine so I'm making this a personal mission.

I'm going to attempt something incredibly hard -- both physically and mentally -- because Forester's challenges are infinitely harder. This feels like the least I can do to help.

Who is Forester?

Forester is a five year-old boy in Vancouver with Fragile X-Syndrome, a life-time genetic condition that shuts down a protein vital for brain development. It has no cure. Fragile-X causes intellectual disability, behavioral and learning challenges, and various physical challenges, including a risk of seizures. Additionally, Forester has Autism. He also has the brightest smile you’ll ever see. He requires one-on-one support at all times. He doesn’t understand about traffic. At the age of five, he still wears diapers. He often becomes upset and throws himself on the ground. He is still learning to speak.

Forester will need constant one-on-one care for his entire life. Since he is five years old and his parents are in their 40s, he will likely outlive them by several decades and he will need professional care every single day. Forester's parents opened a Registered Disability Saving Plan (RDSP) for him. The RDSP will provide him with support, starting when he turns 60.

The RDSP is powerful because donations now will have almost 55 years to grow. A dollar contributed today will be worth much more when he eventually needs it. 

What can we do to help him?

I decided to take on a difficult physical challenge to raise funds for Forester's future. That challenge will be a Spartan Race. Actually, two Spartan Races.... in the same weekend. It will be the hardest thing I've ever attempted, both physically and mentally. I'm already training five days a week for it and I'm going to work like heck for the next three months. The races will be held on August 21 and 22 in Red Deer, Alberta.

Please consider making a donation to this campaign. Forester's dad set up this GoFundMe page. The goal is to raise $5,000 by August -- which could mean $30,000 to $40,000 when Forester starts using the funds. Even a small donation now will make a big difference later.

What is a Spartan Race?


A Spartan Race is an off-road foot face interspersed with difficult obstacles. Each obstacle must be completed before the runner may progress. Obstacles include rope climbs, walls, inverted walls, barbed wire, muddy trenches, cargo netting, fire jumps (yes, actual fire), 40kg stone carries, spear-throwing and other flavors of insanity. There are various distances. I will attempt a 10k race with 25 obstacles on Saturday and a 5k race with 20 obstacles on Sunday - a total of 15k and 45 obstacles in one weekend. I've never been a runner. Let's be honest -- I've never been much of an athlete at all. But now I have some serious motivation.

The Spartan road is hard.... but Forester's road is infinitely harder. Will you help?

Thank you,
- N